Stereotype-casting machine.



PATENTED APR. 12, 1904.

C. E. HOPKINS.

STEREOTYPE CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

r M; 1 1115 flttozmmgs 5 No..757,114. PATENTED APR. 12, 1904 0. E.HOPKINS.

- STEREOTYPE CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1a, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

was nomls PEYERs co, PHOTO-LITHD wnswmcmv n PATENTED APR. 12, 1904 G. E.HOPKINS. STEREOTYPE GASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1903.

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wam eo r w UNITED STATES CHARLES E. HOPKINS, OF WORCESTER,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF Patented April 12, 1904;.

PATENT OFFICE.

STEREOTQYPE-CASTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 757,114, dated April12, 1904.

Application filed July 18, 1903.

Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in casting-boxes for curvedstereotype-plates of that class in which a stationary cope supported inupright position is used in connection with a drag and with mechanism bywhich the drag is carried from its open-horizontal position abouthalf-way between the upper and lower ends of the stationary cope intoupright position and working contact with said cope; and for thispurpose the invention consists of a stereotype-casting machine composedof a stationary cope supported inupright position, a movable part ordrag, mechanism for moving the drag from a horizontal position aboutmidway between the upper and lower ends of the cope into an uprightposition in front ofthe cope, and mechanism for then moving the dragfrom its upright position into working contact with said cope.

The invention consists, further, of a'stereotype-casting machinescomprising a stationary cope supported in upright position, a movabledrag, a toggle-lever mechanism by which the drag is moved from ahorizontal position about half-way between the upper and lower ends ofthe cope into an upright position in front of the same, and eccentriccammechanism by which the drag is moved into working contact with the copeby two separate motions, as will be fully described hereinafter, andfinally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 represent side elevations,partly in section, showing the drag of my improved casting-machinerespectively in a horizontal position and in an upright position inworking contact with the cope. Figs. 3 and 4: are

it'ront views of my improved stereotype-castlng box, as shown,respectively, in Figs. 1

Serial No. 166,093. (No model.)

and 2; and Figs. 5, 6, and 7 show the different positions of theeccentric-cam mechanism for bringing the drag into final working contactwith the cope.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A A represent upright supporting-standardswhich are arranged parallel with each other and connected by transversebrace-pieces B of I-shaped cross-section. At the rear ends pf theupright supporting-frames A is supported a stationary upright cope O ofthe usual approved construction and of segmental shape. A drag D, alsoof segmental shape, is provided with central trunnions d at oppositesides, said trunnions being provided with rollers 0*, that are supportedon horizontal ways r at the inner sides of the standards A, so that thedrag is supported on the rollers when in horizontal position midwaybetween the upper and lower ends of the cope, and in which position theupper or front end of the drag rests on a transverse shaft S, that issupported in eccentric sleeves or cams h, which turn in bearings of thesupporting-frames A. The eccentric sleeves h are connected by atransverse bracebar it of segmental cross-section, said bracebar beingslightly set 01f from the eccentric sleeves it. To one of said sleevesit is keyed a hand-lever L, by which both sleeves can be turnedsimultaneously on their axis. To the shaft S are keyed at points betweenthe upright standards A the shorter members F of two toggle-levermechanisms, the longer members F of which are pivotally connected withthe ends of the shorter members and with the trunnions cl at oppositesides of the drag D, as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. The lower orinner end of the drag D is provided at its under side with a slottedbracket g of segmental shape, which is guided on a transverse rod 9,that connects the upright standards A A and that serves for the purposeof guiding the segmental bracket during themotion of the drag from itshorizontal position into upright position toward the cope C.

To the outer end of the shaftS adjacent to the head-lever L is keyed aneccentric cam I, provided at its point of greatest eccentricity with arecess 1', that is engaged by a slidepiece Z, which is guided in therecess Z in the lever L and retained in the same by a suitabletransverse keeper Z that is attached to the hand-lever L. The shank t"of the interlocking slide-piece Z is connected by a helical spring twith the pivoted end of a connectingrod Z that extends alongside of thehand-lever L to the handle end of the same and is pivotally connected toan auxiliary handle L, that is pivoted to the end of the hand-lever Lnear the handle of the same. When the slide-piece Z interlocks with therecess of the cam I, the auxiliary handle L is located at some distancefrom the handle of the operating-lever L, so that when the lever isturned from its lower or approximately horizontal position, which itassumes when the drag is in open position, into upright position thedrag will be moved by the joint action of the togglelever mechanisms andthe segmental guidebracket along the transverse guide-rod g from ahorizontal position into a vertical position in front of the stationarycope, as shown in Fig. 2. By this motion, however, the drag is not movedinto closed or working contact with the cope, but is held in uprightposition a short distance from the same, it being then finally broughtup against the face of the cope, so as to be in absolutely tight workingor looking contact with the same, by an additional forward motionimparted to the drag by the action of the auxiliary handle L, which isgrasped after the operating-lever has arrived in its upright position.(Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in full lines in Fig. 6.) Theinterlocking slide-piece Z is Withdrawn from the recess 71 of the cam Iand by the simultaneous forward motion of the hand-lever the eccentricsleeves turned and the shaft S moved from its normal position into aposition so that the axes of the eccentric sleeves are parallel with theaxes of the toggle-lever mechanism, whereby the shaft S is moved intoforward direction, so as to press thereby the drag with increased forceagainst the face of the cope into tight locking or working contact withthe same ready for the casting operation. During the final motion of theoperating-lever L into the position shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 7the slide-piece Z rides on the cam I and is held in unlocked positionthereby. As soon as the casting of the metal in the casting-chamberformed by the cope and drag is completed and the metal has sufficientlysolidified for permitting the opening of the casting-box the handle ofthe operating-lever L and auxiliary handle L are grasped by the hand ofthe operator and moved from the inclined position (shown in Figs.'2 and7 into its intermediate position, (shownlin Fig. 6,) so that theslidepiece is returned into the recess of the cam I and the drag firstmoved back by the eccentric sleeves from its working contact with thecope into upright position at a short distance away in front of thecope, after which by continuing the downward motion of theoperating-lever and simultaneously releasing the auxiliary handle thetoggle-lever mechanism is called into operation, so that the drag isreturned by the joint action of the toggle-levers and the slottedbracket at the inner end of the drag by means of the rollers on thesupporting-rails into open horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 1 and3. The eccentric sleeves, by which the toggle-lever-operating shaft issupported, impart to the shaft a slight backward or forward motion, soas to shift the entire toggle-lever mechanism and the drag onto the faceof the cope or away from the same and facilitate thereby the closing aswell as the opening of the drag, which heretofore could only beaccomplished by the exertion of considerable extra power, enablingthereby even a man of less than ordinary strength to operate theimproved stereotype-casting box.

As the motion of the drag from its horizontal into a vertical positionin front of the cope and then into working contact with. the same takesplace by two separate motionsnamely, first, by the tilting motionproduced by the toggle-lever mechanism and, secondly, by the reliableclosing or locking together of the drag and cope-the leakage due toimperfect contact of the parts is entirely prevented, and the resistanceof the cast plateduring the setting or solidifying action of the metaland its consequent resistance to the moving away of the drag from thecope is effectively overcome, for the-reason that the eccentric sleevesare during the closing or opening of the drag at their maximum workingpower. ,7 Another advantage of the final motion given by the.

cam-sleeves to the drag is that the expansion of the cast metal isresisted and that the tendency of the cope to shrink at its ends awayfrom the drag when getting heated, so as not to produce plates ofuniform thickness, is entirely overcome by the intimate closing contactof the drag by the final action of the camsleeves on the same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In a stereotype-casting machine,the combination,with a stationary cope supported in an upright position, of a movabledrag, members movably connected with the drag and arranged when moved totheir limit to bring the drag from a horizontal position to a positionadjacent the cope, and mechanism arranged to cooperate with said membersfor advancing 'the drag into contact with the cope, substantially as setforth.

2. In a stereotype-casting machine, the combination, with a stationarycope supported in upright position and a movable drag, of a t0ggle-levermechanism for moving said drag from a horizontal position about half-waybetween the upper and lower ends of the cope into an upright position infront of and substantially parallel with said cope and a cam mechanismoperated in conjunction with the toggle-lever mechanism for moving thedrag into working contact with the cope by two successive operations,substantially as set forth.

3. In a stereotype-casting machine, the combination, with a stationarycope supported in upright position and a movable drag, of a transverseshaft, a toggle-lever mechanism between the shaft and drag, eccentriccamsleeves for supporting said shaft, a transverse connection betweensaid cam-sleeves, and a lever mechanism attached to one of saidcamsleeves for operating the toggle-lever mechanlsm and cam-sleeves bytwo successlveoperations for moving the drag into working contact withthe cope, substantially as set forth.

4. In a stereotype-casting machine, the combination, with a stationarycope supported in an upright position, of a movable drag, mechanismincluding a lever for moving the drag from a horizontal position to anupright position adjacent the cope, and means on said lever arranged tocause the mechanism to advance the drag into contact with the cope,substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. E. HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, HENRY J. SUHRBIER.

